Puan Asks For Effective Forest And Land Fire Management, Including Mount Arjuno

The forest and land fires that hit oil palm plantations in Pematang Karangan Hilir Village, South Kalimantan (ANTARA/HO-BPBD Tapin)

JAKARTA - DPR Speaker Puan Maharani asked the Government to effectively deal with forest and land fires (karhutla). Moreover, karhulta is also one of the contributors to pollution which causes air quality in a number of areas to worsen.

"Karhutla is a serious problem that has a broad impact, both on the community and the environment. For that, I encourage the Government to optimize a fast and effective way to overcome the spread of firespots in a number of areas," said Puan, Thursday, September 7.

As is known, the air quality in various regions has worsened due to forest and land fires. As in Jambi where forest and land fires cause the standard index of air pollution (ISPU) in the area to be at 120, a parameter which means in the moderate or unhealthy category.

Based on data from the Karhutla Task Force team, it was found that more than 335 hectares were burned to date, spread at several points in Jambi. Karhutla has also caused Jambi to be shrouded in smog over the past few days.

In a number of areas of South Sumatra (Sumsel) there are also forest and land fires, causing the air quality in the province to enter an unhealthy level, especially in Palembang. Apart from Sumatra, forest and land fires also occur in the Kalimantan region.

Even in West Kalimantan (West Kalimantan), hundreds of residents of Ketapang Regency were forced to evacuate due to the widespread hotspots. Puan asked the government to move quickly to extinguish the fire so that the hotspots did not increase.

"And it is very important that the government and the authorities tighten supervision and impose sanctions on perpetrators of forest and land fires," said the first woman to serve as Chair of the DPR RI.

"Because apart from threatening public health, forest and land fires also have a direct impact on the economic and education sectors. There are so many who have been harmed by forest and land fires so that they need more countermeasures," continued Puan.

The former Coordinating Minister for Human Development and Culture also highlighted how forest and land fires that produce smoke are one of the contributors to air pollution. According to Puan, the control of forest and land fires must be carried out specifically considering the condition of Indonesia, which is currently an emergency for air pollution, including in the capital city of DKI Jakarta and its surroundings.

"The thick smoke from land fires produces dangerous air pollution, which can cause respiratory and other health problems for the affected communities," said Bung Karno's grandson.

For information, forest and land fires produce various types of emissions that can have a negative impact on humans and the environment. Referring to data from the Ministry of Environment and Forestry (KLHK), forest and land fires that occurred throughout Indonesia during the January-July 2023 period had produced carbon emissions of around 9.60 million tons of carbon dioxide (CO2e) equivalent.

"We must not play around in dealing with forest and land fires today. All stakeholders must move quickly. The Central Government can provide assistance to the Regional Government (Pemda) because forest and land fires are closely related to handling air pollution that is being intensified," said Puan.

On the island of Java, large forest and land fires are also occurring with the spread of forest and land fires on Mount Arjuno, East Java. It is recorded that 4,403 hectares of land and forest on Mount Arjuno have been burned.

From information from the Regional Disaster Management Agency (BPBD) of Batu, East Java, the land fire on Mount Arjuno has been going on for 12 weeks with 149 hotspots being monitored by air. Even so, only 39 hotspots have been successfully extinguished around the Batu and Pasuruan areas.

Puan hopes that rapid extinguishing efforts can be carried out to protect the environment, economy, health, and valuable social and cultural heritage.

Fires can destroy natural ecosystems and cause long-term environmental damage. This can affect the quality of water, soil, and air and threaten the sustainability of natural resources," he said.

Mount Arjuno, located in East Java, is surrounded by forests rich in flora and fauna. In addition to contributing air pollution, forest and land fires on Mount Arjuno also have a negative impact on the community around the fire site.

"The forest and soil covered by fires will damage the flora and fauna ecosystem. So in addition to the impact on public health, it will also disrupt the habitat of animals and plants on Mount Arjuno," explained Puan.

The maximum effort to extinguish the fire by involving a combination of adequate personnel and equipment is expected to be carried out optimally. The Batu City BNPB itself has planned to add a helicopter fleet so that water bombings or blackouts through the air are intensively carried out.

However, these efforts are still hampered because around 31 existing helicopters are still focused on handling forest and land fires in other areas, namely in Karhutla Kalimantan and Sumatra. Puan also reminded the importance of preventive measures being carried out carefully.

"When the dry season arrives, Karhutla in Indonesia becomes vulnerable. Moreover, strong winds make fires expand and eventually need more equipment," he said.

"Even though this forest fire often occurs in our country, anticipatory steps should be prepared by providing adequate equipment. So that it is enough to stop the hotspots at the beginning before the talent spreads," added Puan.

The DPR also encourages the Government to optimize the use of technology, such as satellites and drones for more efficient monitoring and extinguishing. On the other hand, Puan also regrets that there are people who deliberately burn forests and land for their own benefit.

"The government must impose strict penalties for those responsible for intentional land fires. In dealing with the threat of land fires, the government's alertness is key," he explained.

Puan also said that recently she visited the Dieng tourist area, which is located surrounded by mountains. He said, the natural beauty in the mountainous area which is very stunning is a shared responsibility to preserve it.

"We all have a responsibility to protect our nature, and appropriate actions can reduce the adverse effects of land fires and protect our beloved natural wealth," said Puan.

Furthermore, Puan reminded that this year's dry season is likely to be longer than the previous year. For this reason, she asked the Government to prepare with the worst possibility of increasing forest and land fires in various regions.

"A long dry season and dry weather have increased the risk of land fires in various regions in Indonesia. I hope that efforts to prevent and extinguish the fast can be carried out to protect nature and our people," he said.

Puan also emphasized the importance of public awareness. This is because forest and land fires can affect society socially and culturally by threatening their homes, property, and cultural heritage.

"People need to be told about the importance of protecting forest and land areas during the summer that are prone to fires. Community awareness programs must be improved," concluded Puan.